Saturday, July 30, 2016

An Ethiopian Blockbuster

I found the movie "Difret" to be a triumph for women's rights while at the same time a sad indictment of a male dominated society married to a cultural tradition as hurtful and scarring as slavery. To hear grown men justify the abduction, beating and rape of a 14 year old girl under the premise of love & tradition made me as a loving father wanna take up arms against these men; and I'm a God-fearing believer in nonviolence.The movie is so touching and real that any human being with just a smidgen of love in their heart will be moved by the story and performance of the actors. Us men must stand up against violence toward women especially if its an accepted tradition. If a 14 year old girl, scared for her life can find the courage to stand and fight back against the odds, then all men must find courage to do right by women and defend their right to life, liberty and pursuit of happiness. We as men are no better than the worst of men among us. And we're as guilty as the man perpetrating the crime, if we stay silent, stand down or withhold our support of a woman's right to exist as equals among men.We're not gods fellas, we're men. Hopefully, family men. Time to bury the many myths and traditions that once upon a time made us feel godly, and start being the family men our women can love and cherish without fear of us sacrificing them to our macho egos and ancient ideas of what a man should be. And that is what this movie made me feel. Anger, compassion, hope.